Trump Eyes Hormuz Deal via Oman as Missile Stocks Near Depletion

The US military has burned through virtually all of its stockpile of long-range precision missiles in the five-month conflict with Iran, according to people familiar with the numbers. The Army Tactical Missile Systems and the newer Precision Strike Missiles have been the main weapons used in strikes, and supplies of both are now at critically low levels.

These munitions cost more than a million dollars apiece and were meant to let forces hit targets from a distance without putting pilots in harm's way. Their near exhaustion leaves fewer options if President Trump decides to resume large-scale attacks. Officials have already floated the possibility of shifting to manned bombing runs, which carry higher risks for American aircrews.

The war began February 28 when US and Israeli forces struck Iranian targets. What was described at the outset as a short operation has stretched into months of back-and-forth strikes, with Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting global energy routes. Trump has alternated between threats of massive strikes and pauses to allow talks, most recently saying a deal with Iran and Oman on reopening the strait could come within 48 hours.

Negotiations center on splitting shipping lanes, with inbound traffic moving through Iranian waters and outbound through Omani waters. No tolls would apply during a proposed 60-day period. Iranian officials have denied direct US involvement in the talks, though Trump has described them as positive and warned that any collapse would bring a hard response.

The missile shortage raises questions about readiness for other potential conflicts. The same weapons have been used in support of Ukraine against Russia, and analysts note they would be in high demand in any confrontation with China. Defense officials have downplayed stockpile concerns in the past, but the current drawdown shows the limits of sustained operations far from home.

Trump has said the strait must reopen for nuclear talks to move forward and that Iran cannot be allowed a nuclear weapon. Public polling shows strong backing for preventing that outcome, yet the practical costs of the current approach are now visible in depleted inventories and the prospect of riskier missions ahead.